Labor strategist and advertising executive Dee Madigan committed a contempt of Queensland Parliament by making fun of LNP member Jarrod Bleijie in a "toddler tantrum" tweet she refused to delete.
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In May, Ms Madigan quote tweeted a GIF of Mr Bleijie ripping up a piece of paper in Parliament, adding the comment, "Your taxes at work. A toddler tantrum for @JarrodBleijieMP".
Mr Bleijie had ripped up the paper while complaining about a government motion to speed up debate on the vegetation management bill so it could be passed that night, while temporarily scrapping family-friendly hours.
He wrote to Speaker Curtis Pitt to complain about the tweet, with Clerk Neil Laurie writing to Ms Madigan to advise her of the terms of the condition of the use of video from Parliament, and urging her to delete it.
However, Ms Madigan refused to delete the tweet and was referred to the Parliament's powerful ethics committee.
Footage from the Queensland Parliament cannot be used for satire or ridicule under the terms and conditions of its use.
In findings delivered on Monday night, Ethics Committee chairman Joe Kelly said republication of the broadcast footage with the accompanying words "toddler tantrum" amounted to a breach of the Parliament's broadcast terms and conditions and was therefore a breach of Parliament.
The committee recommended the Parliament take no further action in relation to the "relatively minor" contempt.
Ms Madigan took the ruling in her stride.
"Bugger, I was hoping to be jailed in the parliamentary jail cell which is now a wine cellar," she said.
The Ethics Committee has the power to force apologies, issue fines and order time in jail for acts of contempt.
Ms Madigan has worked on state and federal election campaigns for the Labor party and is a regular panellist on the ABC's Gruen.
Mr Bleijie said politicians and journalists had to abide by the rules.
"So too should Labor campaign managers and spin doctors. No one is above the law," he said.
In her submission to the committee, Ms Madigan argued she was not a party to the contract which imposed terms and conditions and was therefore not bound by them and Mr Bleijie posted broadcast footage for similar purposes but did not face contempt charges.
She also said her tweet constituted legitimate criticism and if the conditions were interpreted broadly they would breach the implied freedom of political communication.
The committee said Ms Madigan was advised by the Clerk that if she deleted the tweet it was likely no further action would be taken.
"We find it disappointing to see any person, more so one with a public profile, deliberately disrespect the rules of a democratically elected Parliament," the committee wrote in its finding.
"We note that in contrast all due respect has been shown to Ms Madigan in bringing the breach to her attention and providing ample opportunities to rectify the breach and avoid further action."
The committee pointed out that reviews of bans on the use of parliamentary footage for satire or ridicule had been done in other jurisdictions, with the prohibition removed.
"While beyond the scope of the terms of reference for this committee, it may be timely for the Queensland Parliament to consider the matter," the committee wrote.
